Published online Mar 18, 2024. doi: 10.5500/wjt.v14.i1.88734
Peer-review started: October 17, 2023
First decision: November 2, 2023
Revised: November 14, 2023
Accepted: December 18, 2023
Article in press: December 18, 2023
Published online: March 18, 2024
Biliary atresia (BA) is the most common indication for pediatric liver transplantation, although portoenterostomy is usually performed first. However, due to the high failure rate of portoenterostomy, liver transplantation has been advocated as the primary procedure for patients with BA. It is still unclear if a previous portoenterostomy has a negative impact on liver transplantation outcomes.
Is there a negative impact of a prior portoenterostomy on liver transplantation outcomes?
To analyze the post-transplant complications and survival in children with BA with or without a previous portoenterostomy.
This was a retrospective cohort study of 42 pediatric patients with BA who underwent primary liver transplantation from 2013 to 2023 at a single tertiary center in Brazil. Patients with BA were divided into two groups: Those undergoing primary liver transplantation without portoenterostomy and those undergoing liver transplantation with prior portoenterostomy.
In our study, prior portoenterostomy did not significantly affect the outcomes of liver transplantation.
There are no survival differences in patients transplanted with or without a prior portoenterostomy. There is a trend for more portal vein complications in the group of patients transplanted without a portoenterostomy.
Larger studies, also multicenter studies would be important to better address this issue.